Transcript, vocabulary, and notes

Text 课文 (Kèwén)

After you have watched the video, check your understanding by reading the transcript and the English translation.

New Words 生词 (Shēngcí)

Language Notes

Lesson 6

L18. 借

借 can mean either “to borrow” or “to lend.” It is often used with gěi 给 when it means to lend.

For example: Wǒ xiǎng jiè sān běn shū.
我想借三本书。
I would like to borrow three books.

Wǒ jiè gěi tā sān běn shū.
我借给他三本书。
I am lending him three books.

L19. 没问题

没问题 means no problem.

For example:
Jīntiān wǎnshàng bāng wǒ fùxí Hànzì, hǎo ma?
今天晚上帮我复习汉字， 好吗？
Would you help me review the characters this evening?

Méi wèntí.
没问题。
No problem.

L20. 以后

以后 is translated as after. Words can be added before it and function as adverbials. It is positioned differently than in English. For example:

shí diǎn yǐhòu
十点以后
after 10:00

L21. 那

In this lesson, 那 means in that case; then. It shows the relationship between a previous sentence and the current sentence.
For example:
Wǒ bù xiǎng chī Zhōngguó fàn.
我不想吃中国饭。
I don’t want to eat Chinese food.

Nà Měiguó fàn ne?
那美国饭呢？
How about American food then?

Grammar Notes

G31. 可以, 必须, 能

Rule: Both 可以 and 能 mean to have the ability to do something. The negative form is 不能.
For example:

• Tā néng shuō Zhōngwén.
• 他能说中文。
• Tā kěyǐ shuō Zhōngwén.
• 他可以说中文。
• He can speak Chinese.

• Tā bù néng shuō Zhōngwén.
• 他不能说中文。
• He can not speak Chinese.

The two words also mean it is reasonable to do something or that circumstances permit one to do something. The negative form is 不能 or 不可以.

For example:

• Wǒ néng jiè zhè běn shū ma?
• 我能借这本书吗？
• Wǒ kěyǐ jiè zhè běn shū ma?
• 我可以借这本书吗？
• May I borrow this book?

• Bù kěyǐ. Bù néng.
• 不可以。 不能。
• You can’t.

必须 means “must, should.” The negative form is 不必.
For example:

• Wǒ bìxū xué Zhōngwén.
• 我必须学中文。
• I should learn Chinese.

• Wǒ bùbì xué Zhōngwén.
• 我不必学中文。
• I needn’t learn Chinese.

G32. 多

Rule: 多 is often used in interrogative sentences.

For example:

• Nǐ gēge duō dà?
• 你哥哥多大？
• How old is your older brother?

• Zhè běn zìdiǎn kěyǐ jiè duō jiǔ?
• 这本字典可以借多久？
• For how long can the dictionary be checked out?

G33. Topic-Comment Sentences

Rule: In a conversation, a noun or phrase serves as a topic when it has become established as a known element. And it is followed by a clause commenting on the topic. We call this pattern topic-comment sentence.

For example:

• Nǐ yǒu shū ma?
• 你有书吗？
• Do you have books?

• Shū wǒ yǒu hěn duō.
• 书我有很多。
• I have many books.

G34. Time-Duration Expressions

Rule: Time-duration expressions tell how long an action lasts.

Do not use the measure word gè 个 before nián 年 (year), tiān 天 (day), and fēn 分 zhōng 钟 (minute).

For example:

G35. Time-When and Time Duration Expressions

Rule: The position of time-when expressions and time-duration expressions

A time-when expression comes before the verb.

For example:

• Túshūguǎn liù diǎn guānmén.
• 图书馆六点关门。
• The library closes at 6:00.

For example:

• Wǒ jīntiān chī Měiguó fàn.
• 我今天吃美国饭。
• I am eating American food today.

A time-duration expression comes after the verb.

For example:

• Zhè běn shū kěyǐ jiè yī gè yuè.
• 这本书可以借一个月。
• This book can be borrowed for one month.

Sentence Patterns

These sentences highlight and repeat some of the grammatical concepts introduced in this lesson.

Cultural Notes

The fifth largest library in the world is the National Library of China (中国国家图书馆), which is located in Beijing. It is also the largest library in Asia. In addition to the impressive 22 million volumes, this library maintains the largest collection of Chinese literature in the world. To learn more about the library, you can visit the library’s website.

(In case you wondered, the largest library in the world is the United States Library of Congress.)